English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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All 27,237 words
1623 words
democratize
C2+
/dɪˈmɑkrəˌtaɪz/
to make something accessible to all or governed by the people
demographer
C2+
/dɪˈmɑɡrəfɚ/
a specialist who studies the statistics of human populations
demoness
C2+
/ˈdiːmənɪs/
a female demon or evil spirit
denier
C2+
/dɪˈnaɪɚ/
a person who refuses to admit the truth of something
denouncement
C2+
/dɪˈnaʊnsmənt/
a public condemnation or denunciation
depersonalization
C2+
/diˌpɚsənələˈzeɪʃən/
loss of a sense of personal identity or of reality's familiarity
depersonalize
C2+
/diˈpɚsənəˌlaɪz/
to deprive of individuality or human character
diarist
C2+
/ˈdaɪərɪst/
a person who keeps a diary or journal
diplomatist
C2+
/dɪˈploʊmətɪst/
a person skilled in diplomacy; a diplomat
discussant
C2+
/dɪˈskʌsənt/
a person who takes part in a formal discussion or panel
disencumber
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪnˈkʌmbɚ/
to free from a burden or encumbrance
disfavor
C2+
/dɪsˈfeɪvɚ/
disapproval or dislike; to regard with disapproval
dissocialize
C2+
/dɪˈsoʊʃəlaɪz/
to make unsociable or to withdraw from social interaction
distributee
C2+
/dɪsˌtrɪbjəˈti/
a person who receives a share, especially of an estate
divorcee
C2+
/dɪˌvɔrˈseɪ/
a person who is divorced
doggedness
C2+
/ˈdɔɡɪdnəs/
persistent determination; tenacity
donator
C2+
/ˈdoʊneɪtər/
a person who gives a donation; a donor
donee
C2+
/doʊˈni/
a person to whom a gift is made
dorter
C2+
/ˈdɔrtər/
a dormitory, especially in a monastery (archaic)
draftsman
C2+
/ˈdræftsmən/
a person who draws plans or sketches, as for machinery or buildings
drinker
C2+
/ˈdrɪŋkər/
a person who drinks, especially one who consumes alcohol
drove
C2+
/droʊv/
a herd or flock driven together; a large moving crowd
druggist
C2+
/ˈdrʌɡɪst/
a pharmacist or dealer in medicinal drugs
dullard
C2+
/ˈdʌlɚd/
a slow-witted or stupid person
egghead
C2+
/ˈɛɡˌhɛd/
an intellectual or bookish person (often disparaging)
emancipate
C2+
/ɪˈmænsəˌpeɪt/
to set free from legal, social, or political restraint
emcee
C2+
/ˈɛmˈsi/
a master of ceremonies who hosts an event
engineman
C2+
/ˈɛnʤɪnˌmæn/
a person who operates or tends an engine
epithet
C2+
/ˈɛpɪˌθɛt/
a descriptive word or phrase characterizing a person or thing, often abusive
estimator
C2+
/ˈɛstɪˌmeɪtɚ/
a person or formula that calculates an estimate or statistical value
excommunication
C2+
/ˌɛkskəˌmjunɪˈkeɪʃən/
the formal exclusion of a person from communion or membership of a church
executor
C2+
/ɪɡˈzɛkjətɚ/
a person appointed to carry out the terms of a will
explainer
C2+
/ɪkˈspleɪnɚ/
a person or piece that explains; an explanatory account
exploiter
C2+
/ɪkˈsplɔɪtɚ/
a person who takes unfair advantage of others for gain
exploitive
C2+
/ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪv/
taking unfair advantage of people or resources
exponent
C2+
/ɪkˈspoʊnənt/
a person who supports an idea, or a mathematical power indicator
faker
C2+
/ˈfeɪkɚ/
a person who pretends or counterfeits something
fantasist
C2+
/ˈfæntəsɪst/
a person who indulges in or creates fantasies
favoritism
C2+
/ˈfeɪvərɪˌtɪzəm/
the unfair favoring of one person or group over others
featureless
C2+
/ˈfitʃɚləs/
lacking distinct features; flat and monotonous
fibber
C2+
/ˈfɪbɚ/
a person who tells small, trivial lies
financialist
C2+
/fəˈnænʃəlɪst/
a person expert or engaged in finance and money matters
flockowner
C2+
/ˈflɑkˌoʊnɚ/
a person who owns a flock of sheep or other animals
fogey
C2+
/ˈfoʊɡi/
an old-fashioned or excessively conservative person
foil
C2+
/fɔɪl/
a person or thing that contrasts with and enhances another; to thwart
frankpledge
C2+
/ˈfræŋkplɛdʒ/
a medieval system of joint surety for the conduct of community members
freebooter
C2+
/ˈfriːbuːtɚ/
a pirate or plunderer who takes booty
frictionless
C2+
/ˈfrɪkʃənləs/
without friction; smooth and effortless
frump
C2+
/frʌmp/
a dowdy, unfashionable, or dull person
funnyman
C2+
/ˈfʌnimæn/
a professional comedian or comic entertainer
gaffe
C2+
/ɡæf/
an embarrassing social blunder or tactless mistake
generalist
C2+
/ˈdʒɛnrəlɪst/
a person competent in several fields rather than one specialty
geographer
C2+
/dʒiˈɑɡrəfɚ/
a person who studies the physical features and human geography of the earth
giver
C2+
/ˈɡɪvɚ/
a person who gives something
glutton
C2+
/ˈɡlʌtən/
a person who eats and drinks to excess
godparent
C2+
/ˈɡɑdˌpɛrənt/
a person who sponsors a child at baptism and oversees their upbringing
goober
C2+
/ˈɡubɚ/
a peanut; informally, a foolish or naive person
gossipmonger
C2+
/ˈɡɑsəpˌmʌŋɡɚ/
a person who habitually spreads gossip
gourmand
C2+
/ɡʊrˈmɑnd/
a person who enjoys eating, often to excess
gymnast
C2+
/ˈdʒɪmnæst/
a person trained in gymnastics
hacker
C2+
/ˈhækɚ/
a person who breaks into or skillfully manipulates computer systems
haggler
C2+
/ˈhæɡlɚ/
a person who bargains persistently over price
haircutter
C2+
/ˈhɛrˌkʌtɚ/
a person who cuts hair as a trade
handicraftsman
C2+
/ˈhændɪˌkræftsmən/
a person skilled in a manual trade or craft
hector
C2+
/ˈhɛktər/
to bully or intimidate with bluster; a swaggering bully
hireling
C2+
/ˈhaɪərlɪŋ/
a person who works only for pay, with implied lack of loyalty
hirer
C2+
/ˈhaɪərər/
a person who hires or employs another, or who rents something
homelander
C2+
/ˈhoʊmˌlændər/
a native or inhabitant of one's home country
homeowner
C2+
/ˈhoʊmˌoʊnər/
a person who owns the house in which they live
homicide
C2+
/ˈhɑːməˌsaɪd/
the killing of one person by another
hostelry
C2+
/ˈhɑstəlri/
an inn or public house providing lodging and food
humankind
C2+
/ˈhjumənˌkaɪnd/
human beings considered collectively; the human race
huntsman
C2+
/ˈhʌntsmən/
a man who hunts or who manages hounds during a hunt
idealist
C2+
/aɪˈdiəlɪst/
a person guided by ideals rather than practical considerations
ignoramus
C2+
/ˌɪɡnəˈreɪməs/
an utterly ignorant or stupid person
impostor
C2+
/ɪmˈpɑstɚ/
a person who deceives others by pretending to be someone else
improver
C2+
/ɪmˈpruvɚ/
a person or thing that improves something, or a learner gaining skill
industrialist
C2+
/ɪnˈdʌstriəlɪst/
a person who owns or runs an industrial enterprise
inebriate
C2+
/ɪnˈibrieɪt/
to make drunk, or a person who is habitually drunk
infanticide
C2+
/ɪnˈfæntɪsaɪd/
the killing of an infant, or a person who commits it
instrumentalist
C2+
/ˌɪnstrəˈmɛntəlɪst/
a person who plays a musical instrument; an adherent of instrumentalist philosophy
integrator
C2+
/ˈɪntəˌɡreɪtɚ/
a person or device that combines separate parts into a unified whole
intelligentsia
C2+
/ɪnˌtɛləˈdʒɛntsiə/
the class of educated people engaged in cultural and political ideas
interrogatee
C2+
/ɪnˌtɛrəɡəˈti/
a person who is being interrogated or questioned
intertwist
C2+
/ˌɪntɚˈtwɪst/
to twist together; to interweave
jailbird
C2+
/ˈdʒeɪlˌbɜrd/
a person who is or has often been in prison
kitchener
C2+
/ˈkɪtʃənər/
a person in charge of a kitchen; also a kind of cooking range
laity
C2+
/ˈleɪəti/
lay people, as distinct from clergy or professionals
laundryowner
C2+
/ˈlɔndriˌoʊnər/
a person who owns a laundry business
leaseholder
C2+
/ˈlisˌhoʊldɚ/
a person who holds property under a lease
leftover
C2+
/ˈlɛftˌoʊvɚ/
something remaining after the rest has been used or consumed
lender
C2+
/ˈlɛndɚ/
a person or institution that lends money or goods
leper
C2+
/ˈlɛpɚ/
a person with leprosy; a social outcast
lessor
C2+
/ˈlɛsɔr/
a person who grants a lease of property to another
liberalism
C2+
/ˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm/
a political philosophy favoring individual liberty, equality, and reform
libertarian
C2+
/ˌlɪbɚˈtɛriən/
a person who upholds maximum individual liberty and minimal state intervention